Chapter 71

Verena's thoughts were a little clouded, though she hadn't entirely lost her clarity.

She understood full well what Gavin's words implied.After lingering on the photo for a moment, she opened the chat app and began typing a message to Isaac.

As her fingers flew across the screen, Gavin leaned closer, stealing a glance. He broke into hearty laughter, teasing, "Well, who would've imagined Dr.Willis had such a sly streak?"

He said this because Verena had embroidered the story, making it appear even more dramatic than Gavin's original version.

Verena only smiled faintly in reply to her friend's playful remark.

Then she carefully reread the message she had drafted. "Isaac, your attitude today really wounded me. I'm drunk now. Are you sure you won't come to get me? If you don't, I might just do something reckless."

Content with her words, she pressed send-and attached the photo as well.

Placing the phone face down on the counter,Verena told herself that if lsaac refused to show up, she would indeed act recklessly. She didn't mind barging into the Bennett Mansion again, determined to "torment" him with her presence.

Meanwhile, inside the Bennett Mansion, the door at the far end of the second-floor hallway remained firmly shut. The room lay wrapped in darkness. The bed was untouched, and the curtains were left open,allowing a narrow stream of moonlight to spill onto the floor.

By the window sat lsaac in his wheelchair, staring into the night with a distant gaze, utterly lost in thought.

The window wasn't completely closed, and the cold wind crept through the gaps. Outside, tall trees swayed, their shifting shadows crossing his face, deepening the lonely silhouette he cast.

Isaac hadn't known restful sleep for nights on end.Each time he lay down, memories surged like an endless reel: the sight of his father bleeding after the accident,the weight of his own disability, the torment of his dysfunction, and the thought of Verena-forever beyond his reach. He could only endure the endless nights until dawn, and then bury himself in work to silence the torment.

All at once, the phone on the small table beside him buzzed twice.

At such an hour, he hadn't expected a message from anyone.

His fingers twitched, and Verena's image leapt instantly to his mind.

He picked up the phone, and at the sight of her name,his brows drew together.

Opening her chat, he scanned her words, his eyes narrowing at once.

Below the message was a selfie she had sent.

The neon lights behind her revealed clearly that she was in a bar.

Her cheeks were flushed, her lips tinged with a deep rose, and her bright eyes blurred slightly, carrying the disarming charm of intoxication.

The scene struck him like déjà vu-he had seen her drunk before in that hotel, and he recognized that look. By her side was a man, his face concealed,but his broad shoulders and attire betrayed his gender at once.

The word "reckless" from her message rang in his head, and a sharp ache spread across his temples.His thoughts darted back to that night in the hotel,when she had kissed him while drunk. Would she repeat such recklessness with another man?

The pain in his chest was like a knife's thrust, forcing him to cut short the images before they spiraled further. He realized then how fragile his composure truly was. Just the sight of a man leaning near her in that picture was enough to rouse a storm of jealousy.If his mind ran loose, he knew he could lose all reason.

Isaac's eyes fixed on the photo, his once calm features darkening, his gaze cold and sharp as if he could pierce straight through the figure partly captured in the frame.

Reason told him this was the moment to step back,yet his heart was deaf to such counsel. Fire burned in his chest, and with a bitter smile, he admitted he had once again surrendered to her.

"You promised me time to think. And this... this is your idea of patience," he murmured bitterly.

Consumed by jealousy, he could no longer think straight. His voice broke into a roar. "Andres, prepare the car!"

At once, Andres approached the door, asking respectfully,"Mr.Bennett, where shall I take you?"

Isaac froze briefly, realizing Verena hadn't shared the bar's address.

His throat tightened. With trembling fingers, he hurriedly dialed her number.

Back at the bar, Verena and Gavin were deep in conversation when Gavin motioned to her phone and said with a sly grin, "See? It's working. Amnesia or not, Isaac is still lsaac."

Verena's eyes lit with sudden joy as she picked up the phone and answered.

Before she could utter a word, Isaac's low, strained voice surged through the receiver. "Where are you?"

Just as Verena was about to reveal her location,Gavin leaned in mischievously and spoke in a hushed tone near the speaker. "Hey, beauty, are you alone?"

Verena shot him a sharp look, while Gavin only raised his brows knowingly and spread his hands.

Catching on quickly, Verena pressed her lips together and answered, "Yes, I'm alone."

The playful exchange was the last straw for lsaac. His hand clenched the phone so tightly his knuckles turned pale, his voice taut with urgency. "Verena,where are you? Tell me now."

Before she could respond, Gavin plucked the phone from her hand and switched it off.

"What are you doing?" Verena demanded, frowning.

"This," Gavin explained calmly, setting the phone aside, "is how you force a man's hand. A desperate bid to win you back. We'll make sure he never dares push you away again."

Verena blinked, turning over his words, and realized they weren't without reason.

Back in the mansion, lsaac froze as the line went dead. A sudden rush of panic seized him, and he quickly dialed again.

"The number you have dialed is currently unavailable.Please try again later," the mechanical voice repeated.

His jaw tightened, his brow furrowed deeply. He redialed again and again, only to hear the same response.

For the first time in his life, Isaac cursed aloud. The thought of Verena being drunk and exposed to unwelcome advances was unbearable.

In desperation, he dialed Jacob. The assistant answered at once.

Without giving him time to speak, lsaac ordered hurriedly, "Check the photo I just sent you. Find the bar. Quickly."

On the other end, Jacob opened the photo, his memory sparking-he had visited that very bar before.